stitch pattern – bamboo stitch

A swatch of bamboo stitch in lilac yarn on a knitting needle.

The bamboo stitch is a wonderfully textured stitch. It looks very similar to bamboo shoots, with the horizontal lines dividing the sections. Hence, the name of this stitch pattern. Also, it’s much easier to work than it looks like. It can be used as all-over patterning in for example dish cloths or blankets. But it would also work very well as a strategically placed accent in a bigger project. It is a simple 2-row repeat, worked over a multiple of 2 stitches.

Let’s get started!

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color Tea Rose.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

Bamboo stitch instructions – worked flat

On an even number of stitches, work the following 2 rows for the pattern:

Row 1 (RS): *Yo, k2, pass the yo over both k sts; rep from * to end.

Row 2: (WS): Purl.

Bamboo stitch instructions – worked in the round

On an even number of stitches, work the following 2 rounds for the pattern:

Round 1: *Yo, k2, pass the yo over both k sts; rep from * to end of round.

Round 2: Knit.

The step of lifting the yo over the 2 knit stitches, and the result of that, can be seen in the 2 pictures below.

The result

Viewed from the right side of the fabric:

Bamboo stitch shown from the front

Viewed from the wrong side of the fabric:

Bamboo stitch shown from the back
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